Testing for contacts of cases in school.

[JocastaNu]

Our primary school issued new guidance yesterday, stating that if a child is in close contact with a case (eg, their bubble collapses), then they should get a PCR test. However, even if the PCR test is negative, they still have to isolate for ten days. So essentially, every time the class bubble pops, the whole class has to get tested, but still isolate regardless of the result.

DS is 8, suspected possible ASD with loads of sensory issues. I have tested him twice and both times he had a full on panic attack with hyperventilation etc.

I've done everything I'm meant to have done so far. Followed all the rules etc. But the prospect of making him test when he doesn't have symptoms has really made me hit peak Covid.

Has anyone else been told similar in primary schools?

No we haven't and I wouldn't be doing an invasive medical test on my children if they still had to isolate anyway.
Also they shouldn't be telling you to do pcr tests which are only for people with symptoms.
Just isolate if you're told to, they can't make you do anything else.

That is complete nonsense & certainly not official guidance of any kind. Why are schools just making up silly rules? Fair enough if it’s to stop children having to isolate but otherwise, it goes completely against the govmt guidance of ‘only test if you have symptoms’ surely?!

In certain areas they are now doing PCR tests due to how the delta variant seems to be spreading in school. I was isolating after a chunk of a class I had just before half term tested positive. We as staff and many of their contacts tested only to find more and more asymptomatic positive cases, which all staff having had a negative lateral flow. Only 1 member of staff is now symptomatic.

Before half term we discovered 9 cases in a class after only 1 tested positive with symptoms. Without the PCR test each of those families would have been put and about and most wouldn't have isolated their child over half term.

Are you in a hotspot area?

I didn't think you could get a PCR test unless you have symptoms, apart from in exceptional circumstances

This has happened in our area but only for schools that have had cases of the Delta variant.

There haven't been any cases in the school since before lockdown, and we're in an area that currently has very low cases overall.

@IdoIdoIdoOoh

No we haven't and I wouldn't be doing an invasive medical test on my children if they still had to isolate anyway. Also they shouldn't be telling you to do pcr tests which are only for people with symptoms. Just isolate if you're told to, they can't make you do anything else.

This guidance has changed in many areas, especially for areas of concern.

The guidance has come from PHE and isn't new, nor is it just for schools.

It's to try and pick up asymptomatic cases, to get a better picture of what's happening and to avoid spread to vulnerable people, especially those who are only partially vaccinated or unable to be vaccinated.

It isn't going against Government advice. It is now part of the Government's advice.

There also isn't the big demand for cases like there had been earlier in the pandemic hence they can open the PCRs to close contacts more frequently.

It is taking place in Manchester (my school and DDs) and Bolton (DP). PHE are very hot on PCR tests taking place now and, unlike before Christmas, now support staff in schools isolating if they are a contact. Which is a good job as a friend in Bolton is now in hospital (not vaccinated as not old enough but a teacher).

We are in Scotland and their were over 100 children sent home on Friday due to an outbreak. We were advised to get our children tested. My daughters 2 best friends have tested positive. We got our tests done, they were negative, results on Sunday. We were told they still need to isolate for 10 days. Now I’m having to take the week of unpaid from work. I’m totally passed off.

The request from our school currently is to please get a PCR test for your child and the whole household if your child did not have sufficient contact with the infected child to be required to isolate but has been around the infected child or their group to some degree. They say it's what they've been advised by PHE due to an outbreak in the school. Plenty of test capacity here and you tick a box to say you're testing as the LA have requested it.

I think in certain areas they are now doing this and it is now an option to select that as a reason for a test on the testing website. I think it is potentially to be able to see how the virus is spreading and to isolate more people if neccessary especially in a hotspot area.
I am not one for all the drama surrounding the testing as a parent (I know many people who are refusing to do the PCR on their kids even with symptoms because it is so invasive) with a DC currently in school after more than a year who's at very high risk and also deals with a lot worse than a PCR test (which I don't agree is an invasive medical procedure - it really isn't invasive) on a regular basis however given your child has to isolate for 10 days regardless, has no symptoms and struggles with the testing - I wouldn't test them on this occassion unless they developed symptoms.

We had the same invitation from PHE last week when DS was isolating. You are correct that a negative PCR won't override the isolation. It's an invitation to book a PCR though, you don't have to if you don't want to.

I wouldn’t do it either, yet more expectations from the government and public health whilst getting nothing back. No ta.

NotBot

That is complete nonsense & certainly not official guidance of any kind. Why are schools just making up silly rules? Fair enough if it’s to stop children having to isolate but otherwise, it goes completely against the govmt guidance of ‘only test if you have symptoms’ surely?!

But it is official guidelines from the local authority, the school is only following these guidelines., I have a letter here from my health board explaining that we need to isolate even after a negative test. It’s so annoying as I thought after a negative test, I could take my kids back to school, but no. Now I’m out of pocket for having to take time of my work, which I can’t afford. I could scream.

So the government want a 'freedom day' in which the whole country can ditch masks, cram into the pub, etc, but kids still have to sit at home for 10 days with a negative test and no symptoms, even 16-18 year olds who are fully vaccinated.

Our children will remember this. It is not right. All over 25s can now book a vaccine. It is inhumane to be treating children like this, especially those in exam years who stand to miss out on the chance to prove their ability in assessments and exams.

16yos aren't fully vaccinated.

So the government want a 'freedom day' in which the whole country can ditch masks, cram into the pub, etc, but kids still have to sit at home for 10 days with a negative test and no symptoms, even 16-18 year olds who are fully vaccinated.

Most of the country isn’t fully vaccinated. They’ve only just started doing 25 year olds on the national booking system.

@MattsHolidayTan my DC is in an exam year, yes it has been shit, but I assume pandemics always are.

it goes completely against the govmt guidance of ‘only test if you have symptoms’ surely?!

Sounds like the school IS following government guidance that you CAN and should test if you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, not only if you have symptoms. That was changed quite some time ago. You also have to isolate if you have been in close contact.
Why test if you have to isolate anyway? Because if one person is positive, you can take extra precautions at home to protect other members of the household. A lot of children and young people I'm aware of who have tested positive have been asymptomatic, and only knew they were positive because they had to test due to a close contact being positive.

I’ll not be isolating me or my kids as contacts. Yes if we test positive or have symptoms of course but not just as contacts, that is just horseshit now. Call me selfish all you want, I’m giving as much of a fuck as the government about Covid now/

Are you happy to be fined then @RedcurrantPuff?

As public health teams have more options how they deal with clusters of cases what they ask people to do varies more and more depending on what the know about the spread. So 4 cases in different years with no siblings groups or other connections will ask different things to 4 siblings in different years testing positive. Public health will let you know via the school what to do.

RedcurrantPuff
Idiot!

RedcurrantPuff
So your telling people here, if track and trace contacted you as you were a close contact to a positive case, you wouldn’t isolate? Surely that’s illegal?

@Pinkandpink

RedcurrantPuff So your telling people here, if track and trace contacted you as you were a close contact to a positive case, you wouldn’t isolate? Surely that’s illegal?

It is a legal requirement to self isolate if you are contacted by test and trace with min £1000 fine. But it's not about that is it? It's a potentially asymptomatic contact, who was still incubating at the time of the PCR,being out and about and passing it on. And then we all pay the price if numbers rise. Selfish, ignorant and irresponsible. Not that they care about that of course.